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FAMILY FEATURES

At my house, the mosquitoes are all but breaking the doors down.

The air turned slightly cooler today, not much; maybe only a degree or two. And maybe only for a moment. But you could feel it. It was a little dryer, too. The wind had shifted from the south to the north and brought with it the melancholy that season’s change seems to bring. Autumn, however, is special. Maybe it is because of the new beginnings that are associated with it. Children gathering at bus stops, farmers gearing up for harvest, the stowing of summer activity gear and the yard strangely with fewer birds. Maybe it is the reminding of us that with each passing season, life is escaping.

Brady Todd Beard and Lauren Roy, both of Lake Charles, announce their plans to marry Oct. 24, 2020, at The Brick House in Lake Charles.

Water is our most precious natural resource. According to the American Water Works Association Research Foundation, on average, Americans use 29 billion gallons of water per day, with 30 percent or 8.5 billion gallons per day being used for gardening and lawn care. With two-thirds of the world’s population projected to face water scarcity by 2025, according to the United Nations, it’s time to plan for shortages.